When the brain won’t work, but the nose is doing overtime.

October 13, 2011

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting much in the last few days, but time has been far too fluid for me. Here, in San Antonio, we’re experiencing a second spring, thanks to recent rains that have caused plenty of plants to put forth new growth after a season of drought and temperatures topping 100 for way too many days.

That means every allergy I have is also in full bloom, as the molds battle it out with the pollens for control of my body.

I tried taking one brand of allergy relief with a D after it, but it interfered with my sleep. So I tried another pill that has worked in the past and it not only had the reverse effect, but it made it seem as if sleep were my only option. I could sleep 12 hours a night (as I did Friday night into Saturday) and still feel tired enough to take three naps during the day and get a full 10 hours more the next night. Unfortunately, I felt the same tiredness during the work week, so much so that it took a few days to figure out it was coming from the antihistamine.

No more zombie life for me.

I switched two days ago to a drug that hasn’t worked for me in the past, but it did the first day. Not the second. Yet I am more conscious. I can focus on jobs and I can operate on eight hours of sleep. (OK, it was more like seven or maybe six-and-a-half, but who’s counting?)

My allergies are a constant presence in my life here in South Texas. I am highly allergic to most types of grass, to oak trees (and I have three in the front yard), and to the cedar that blooms most winter long. More moderately, I’m affected by the great outdoors in general. I tried allergy shots for three-and-one-half years, but I ended up with more health problems, and none of the allergies went away or were even less irritating.

I also tried prescriptions, but the steroids in them created their own set of problems. Homeopathic treatments worked for a few weeks but I apparently developed too great of a tolerance for them because they stopped being effective.

I’m blowing my nose as I write this.

But I haven’t given up hope, even as we head into the cedar season, which is the worst of all.

A clear head is a blessed thing. A clear nose is, too. Without it, I couldn’t smell a glass of wine, a nice meal, a cup of herbal tea at night, which means you can’t taste any of the above either. That’s important if you write about food and wine, which is another occupation of mine.

So, any suggestions on what helps keep Mother Nature at bay would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, I hope to be able to think clearly enough to begin posting again.